In times when literary a single cell is enough to identify a person or a living creature I don't understand why FIA needs a whole liter and nothing but one hole liter of fuel to make fuel analysis.

But it makes no difference. The rules could say 1 litre, 5 litres 1cc, whatever. In the end, they have to be able to provide the correct sample. If it were 1cc, then I'm sure the teams would try to run it as low to that level as possible. Whatever the limit is, the teams will try to push to the limit and every team will do the same, so there will be not be disadvantaged.

The issue is that by not having enough fuel, you are disqualified. Hence its a major penalty. It is non sensical though, because IMO the disqualification should not be from the whole of qualifying. It should be just from Q3, because you have already beaten those eliminated in Q1 and Q2. It's certainly a very poorly written rule. But one they all knew about ...

100% in agreement but the precedent has already been set in Spain this year, and the FIA has to be seen to be fair to everyone.

There is no other penalty but to start from the back of the grid or if the team chooses, from the pit lane. Red Bull and Sebastian just have to limit their losses in today's race. Tough luck!

It's not an issue of precedent or not, the article is in the technical regulations not in the sporting code.

If found in breach of an article of the technical regulations, exclusion of the session is the only possible penalty, there is no legal possibility of 5-place grid penalty or 10-place grid penalty. The stewards haven't been harsh with Vettel because they had been with Hamilton, it's just that, in both cases, exclusion of the session was the only possible penalty they could give. And, since the whole qualifying is considered as a single session, that means the only penalty that could be handed is equivalent to Hamilton and Vettel not taking part at all in Qualy

Maldo, well, if you have watched this season, you would see he respects Alonso. So I think he gets the big picture..

But he gave him hard time in China. First he forced Alonso to run out of the track during his overtaking attempt. Then, when Alonso overtook him, he regained the place due to brave late braking into the hairpin. He did all of this despite the fact Fernando had fresher tyres. If it was a more hot-headed driver in place of Alonso then, it could result with (another) crash.

No way Maldonado will back off. Williams still hope to catch FI in WCC and maximising the result in this race is basically their last chance.

No. It's Abu Dhabi and Hamilton is half a second faster than everyone else (including Vettel).

He was also faster than everyone else in Singapore. Knowing Hamilton's luck this season, it's possible something simillar will happen again.

I'd guess around 20 seconds, but with a full race setup and 2 DRS zones, I think Vettel can get to around 7th or even 5th/6th with some fortune.

The two (2) DRS zones could really work in Sebastian favor.

The first zone which has been lengthened slightly this year could be where Sebastian use his DRS to get closer to the car in front. The actual overtaking should be in the next DRS zone where he will use full KERS + DRS to get passed the car in front.

Lol at people saying he should still make the podium or even win. Without SC or many retirements a couple of points will be as good as it gets. But I guess these comments are just laying the foundation to avoid giving Vettel credit if he gets a lot further up than expected.

It's going to be fascinating to watch how far up the order Vettel can make it. He will be going all out and we'll see just how quick that Redbull is currently. Not too sure about the logic of falling foul of the regulations = being allowed to change the entire setup of your car.

100% in agreement but the precedent has already been set in Spain this year, and the FIA has to be seen to be fair to everyone.

There is no other penalty but to start from the back of the grid or if the team chooses, from the pit lane. Red Bull and Sebastian just have to limit their losses in today's race. Tough luck!

But (and I'm not saying this is the case every time it happens) if you can't provide the required sample at the end of Q3, who's to say you would've had the required sample at the end of Q1 and Q2? You could've done the same (deliberately or otherwise) with the other 2 sessions, so that's why I think they exclude you from the whole of qualifying. Not saying I'm right, I could be totally wrong as to why they DSQ you from the entire session, just a guess at a possibility.

It's going to be fascinating to watch how far up the order Vettel can make it. He will be going all out and we'll see just how quick that Redbull is currently. Not too sure about the logic of falling foul of the regulations = being allowed to change the entire setup of your car.

To be fair i think any team can do the same - i.e. break the parc ferme, modify the car and start from pit-lane.

Christian Horner was on Sky earlier, he was quite cagey but did say that he thought the fuel was in the tank but wasn't getting to the collector. To me that sounds like one/all of the lifter pumps had failed. Christian also admitted that they were probably marginal on fuel as well.
If true that does sound like a genuine problem that would qualify as force majeure had there been 1l of fuel left.

Yeah but typical F-1 thinking but now he's changed the kitchen sink under the Regs. they might have a rethink,he should go back to position 10 on grid as its only a misdemeanour to my way of thinking.

Heads will roll at RB after this fueling farce,lets face it how hard is it to work out which is the No.1 car and which side of the garage is the No.2 car.

Good luck to Mark tonight.

Vettel has had his share of problems - two race ending alternator failures, one practice ending alternator failure, and the yesterday's issue. His 2010 season was littered with unreliability whereas Webber had much more smoother season.

Christian Horner was on Sky earlier, he was quite cagey but did say that he thought the fuel was in the tank but wasn't getting to the collector. To me that sounds like one/all of the lifter pumps had failed. Christian also admitted that they were probably marginal on fuel as well. If true that does sound like a genuine problem that would qualify as force majeure had there been 1l of fuel left.

That's your conclusion. The fact that nothing in the fuel system has been replaced tells me nothing was wrong with it.

Erm, how come they are now getting off so lightly, McLaren were dragged over the coals for something similar.

Didn't realize you were in the stewards room! You have no idea what they said to the stewards so stop trying to claim it's the same as Australia 09.

If they didn't tell the whole truth to some journalists so what? Every team has done that, most of them this season, and don't get me started on some of the BS excuses trotted out over the years by drivers.

I think this thread is coming to a close, it's time for the race and some of the "scenarios" continue to be extremely polarized and/or foolish.